Car coupler



Feb; 11, 1930. w. KELso 1,746,656

\ V CAR COUPLER v Filed D60. 29. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 11, 1930. w. KELSO 1,746,656

CAR COUPLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1924 ,Feb. 11 1930. Q 'w, KELSO 1,746,656

CAR COUPLER Filed Dec. 29, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet s HTE- rram oFFicE WILLIAM KELSO, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVAIEIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MGCQNWAY & TORLEY GQMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA CAR COUPLER,

. Application filed December 29, 1924.. Serial No. 758,702.

My invention relates to car couplers and is especially applicable to the form known as the standard D-type coupler, although it is to be understood that the improvements are applicable to Master Car Builders couplers of other types.

The principal object ofthe invention is to provide lock operating means serving efficiently to prevent accidental unlocking of 1c the lock when the coupler is in service. A

further object of the invention is to pro" cluoe a lock actuating device alfording a plurality of means for locking the lock in locked position; and a still further object is to provi'de a lock-to-the-lock mechanism which is of simple form and capable of being readily assembled with the parts with which it is associated.

The primary feature of the invention, generally stated, consists in the employment,

in combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of means for moving the lock to unlocked position, the said means being movable with respect to the lock and involving a plurality of relatively movable members, each of the members being capable of engaging the coupler head to preventaccidental unlocking of the lock, and one of said members being adapted thus to engage the head when the other of said members occupies a posi- 'tion permitting unlocking of the lock.

Another feature of the invention consists in combining with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle and alock for said knuckle, mechanism actuating the lock to'cause it to assume unlocked position, the said mechanism being movably connected tofthe lock and involving. two members connected by a joint permitting their relative rotation, the said mechanism being cap able of cooperating with the coupler head to provide successively operating means for preventing accidental unlocking of the lock, and means being provided whereby the said joint isconstrained to break only in a direction suitable for permitting the parts of the lock actuating mechanism to return to locked relation with the look when the latter is inits locked position.

Other features of the invention residing in advantageous details of construction and in speclal relations of parts will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating the invention applied to a Master Car Builders standard D-coupler,--

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of mechanism embodying the invention, the lock for theknuckle and the device for. actuating the lock being shown in elevation and in locked relation. i

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a relation of the parts in which the upper or supplemental lock-to-the-lock is in its elfective position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a position assumed by the parts when a the lock is actuated to throw the knuckle open.

Figure 4c is a detail view in side elevation of the lock actuating mechanism as viewed from the guard arm side of the coupler, the connected members of the device being in the position illustrated in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a detail rear elevational View of the lock actuating device.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 66, Fig. 3. a

v Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Figures 8 and 9 are 'detail views, in rear and side elevation, respectively, of the modified form of lock controlling mechanismshown in Fig. 7, the parts thereof being in the positions they assume when the lock is being raised to unlocked position.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view on the line 1010 Fig. 9.

As is well known, the rotatable knuckle of the D-coupler is normally prevented from executing an uncoupling rotation by means of an upwardly movable and rearwardly swinging lock. When applied to freight cars this look is usually associated with a lock lifter whose upper end projects through an opening in the top wall of the coupler head and whose lower end is formed with oppositely extending trunnions which project into an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot in the look so as to connect these two parts in a manner permitting them to have relative slidin and rotating movements. This common orm of top operating lifter for the D- coupler lock is a single rigid member whose lower end, when the parts are in locked relation,p'rojects rearwardly beyond the look so as to extend beneath an anticreep lug or shoulder upon the interior of the coupler head and thereby constitute means for preventing accidental unlocking of the look. It will be perceived that if, as a result of the j arring to which the coupler is subjected when the car is in motion, or through any other cause, the lower end of the standard top-operating lifter fails to perform its lock-'to-the-lock function, instances of which have been known.

to occur, the lock becomes free to execute an accidental unlocking movement permitting the knuckle to swing outwardly to uncouled position. By the employment of a jointed lock lifter embodying my invention, however, the same lock-to-the-lock feature now present in the standard D lifter is preserved, and supplemental or auxiliary means are provided for positively arresting an unlocking movement of the lock in the event that themeans intended to perform that function initially should fail to operate.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the coupler head upon which the knuckle (not shown) is rotatably mounted in the customary manner. Outward rotation of the knuckle to uncoupled position is normally restrained by a vertically sliding and rearwardly swinging gravity actuated lock 2 having a depending leg 3 which projects downwardly through an opening 4 in the lower wall of the coupler head when the parts are in locked relation. When the lock is caused to execute an extended unlocking movement it swings rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, causing itsdepending leg to operate the pivoted knuckle opener 5 and thus eifect uncoupling rotation of the knuckle.

The lock 2 may be and preferably is of the usual design, that is to say, it is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot 6 for receiving the lower end of the lock actuating device, the bottom of the said slot being inclined downwardly toward the rear of the coupler so that under the influence of gravity the lower end or shoulder 7 of the lifting mechanism may be caused to protrade through the slot and normally assume a position beneath the anticreep shoulder or In s on the interior of the coupler head. The si e walls of the slot are provided with the usual pockets or recesses 9 for receiving the oppositely extending trunnions 10 whereby the lock and its lifting device, are slidably and rotatably connected.

The lock 2 is actuated by means of a jointed lifter device involving two members. the lower one being slidably and rotatably connected to the lock, and the upper. one extending through an opening 11 in the top wall of the coupler head. The upper member may advantageously be provided with an aperture 12 affording means for attaching a suitable uncoupling lever or release rigging, and it preferably is formed with a rearwardly extending lug or shoulder 18 which normally. stands in overlapping relation to the upper wall of the coupler head when the lock 2 and its actuating means are in locked relation.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the upper member 14 is pivotally connected to the lower member 15 by means ofa rivet 16 passing through the two members, the upper member being forked or bifurcated at its lower end, as indicated at 17, (see Fig. 5) to receive the tongue 18 with which the upper end of the lower member is provided. To prevent this hinged joint from breaking in a direction rearward of the coupler when the parts are returning to normal locked relation after an unlocking movement of the lock 2, the bifurcated lower end of the upper lock lifting member 14 is preferably extended below the pivot 16 so as to provide lugs or shoulders 19 adapted to engage coperating lugs 20 on the member 15 to thereby limit the rotation of lifting members 14 and 15 with respect to each other. The lower portion of the lifter member 15 preferably is the same in form as the corresponding part of the top-operating D-coupler lifter commonly employed and it cooperates with the coupler head in the usual well known manner.

The forward side of the upper member 14 of the lock actuating mechanism is provided above the pivot 16 with a portion 21 constituting a face or shoulder which normally stands beneath and in overlapping relation with the top wall 22 of the coupler head adjacent the opening 11 in the latter. As shown this portion 21 of the lifter member 14 is preferably rounded in the form of a hump. As will be readily understood from a consideration of the positions of the lock lifting mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the lock 2 is normally locked in locked position by the cooperation of the lower end or shoulder 7 of the lifting member 15 with the anticreep lug 8 of the coupler head beneath which it projects. If, as shown in Fig. 2, the member 15 should move upwardly with respect to the coupler lock so as to'withdraw the lower end 7 of said lifter member from beneath the lock-down shoulder. 8, the engagement of the face or shoulder 21 of the upper lifter member 14 with the inside surface of the top wall 22 of the coupler head will arrest the accidental movementof the lock 2 before it has proceeded to any substantial extent. On pulling upwardly upon the lifter mechanism to effect an unlocking movement of the lock, the members 14 and 15 of said mechanism rotate with respect to each otheron their pivotal connec-' spect to the lock 2 causes the lower end f the lifter member 15 to be retracted into the slot 6 of the lock and a continued pull upwardly upon the member 14 of the lifting device will effect an extended unlocking movement of the lock, as shown in Fig. 3. When the knuckle is closed and the lock falls to locked positionthe jointed lock lifting mechanism is restored to normal locked position as illus trated in Fig. 1, such action being induced by gravity.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, substantially differs from the construction heretofore described only in respect to the means for limiting the relative rotation of the unper and lower members of the jointed loc; lifting mechanism. Instead of forming the upper lifter member 24 with a shoulder 19 for cooperating with a lug or shoulder 20 on the lower lifter member 25, as is the case in the structure illustrated in the principal figures of the drawings, relative rotation of the lifter members 24 and 25 is limited by providing the latter with a slot 26 through which extends a rivet 27 passing through the bifurcated end of the lifter member 24. The members 2 1 and 25 otherwise correspond in form and function to similar parts heretofore described and accordingly have been identified by corresponding reference characters.

While the specific details of construction illustrated in the drawings are regarded as preferable it will be understood of course that variations in details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention' I claim V 1. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a vertically movable lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being movably connected to said lock and involving aplurality of connected members which are movable with respect to said head and said lock and also with respect to each other, each of said members being adapted to engage said head to prevent accidentalunlocking of said lock, and one of said members being adapted to engage said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock when the other of said members is in a position permitting unlocking of said lock.

2. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a vertically movable lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being slidably and rotatably connected to said lock and involving a plurality of rotatably connected members each of which is adapted to engage said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, one of said members being adapted'to engage said headto prevent accidental unlocking of said look when the other of said members is in a position permitting unlocking of said lock, and said mem bers when actuated to move said lock to unlocked position being adapted to move with respect to said lock and to rotate with respect to each other so as to free said lock for extended unlocking movement.

3. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a vertically movable lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being movably connected to said lock and involving a plurality of movably connected members each of which is adapted to engage said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, accidental movement of one of said connected members to a position in which it is inoperative to prevent unlocking of said lock serving to move the other of said members towards its position for restraining unlocking of said lock. V

4. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a gravity actuated lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being movably connected to said lock and involving a plurality of movably connected relatively rotatable members provided with cooperating means for limiting theirrelative rotation, each of said members being adapted to engage said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, and one of said members being adapted to engage said head to prevent ac-. cidental unlocking of said look when the otherof said members is in a position permitting unlocking of said lock.

5. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of mechanism for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said mechanism being movably connected to said lock and involving two members having a jointed connection permitting them to rotate with respect to each other, said mechanism being cooperable with said head at a plurality of points to provide a plurality of successively operating means for preventing said look from accidentally moving to unlocked position, and said lock actuating mechanism being provided with means where by said joint is permitted to break only in the direction necessary toallow said mechanism to return tolocked relation with said lock when the latter is in locked position.

a 6. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a vertically movable lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means involvin a plurality of members connected to each ot er with capability'ofrelative rotation, one of said members bein slidably and rotatably connected to said'lock and being adapted to en age said head to prevent accidental unloc ng of said lock, and another of said members having its upper end projecting above the upper wall of the coupler head and being formed above said head with a shoulder adapted to stand in overlapping relation to said wall when said lock and its actuating means are in normal locked relation.

7 In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said lock being provided with a slot adapted to receive said means, said means involving upper and lower members jointedly connected so as to be capable of rotation with respect to each other and to said lock, said lower member being provided with trunnions received by said slot and cooperating with said lock to operatively connect said lock and said means and adapted at its lower end to extend under a portion of said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, and said upper member being adapted to extend under a portion of said head above said lock to prevent accidental unlocking of the latter.

8. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means and said lock being operatively connected so as to be capable of sliding and rotating with respect to each other, said lock being provided with a slot which opens through the top and one of the sides of said lock, said means involving upper and lower members movably connected so as to be capable of rotating with respect to each other, said lower member being provided with trunnions permitting it to slide and rotate with respect to said lock, said trunnions engaging said look within said slot, said lower member having a portion adapted to project beyond said lock and under a portion of said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, and said upper member being adapted to extend under a portion of said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock.

9. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, and a lock for said knuckle, of means for actuating said lock to cause it to assume unlocked position, said means being slidably and rotatably connected to said lock andbeing adapted to assome a plurality of positions in each of which WILLIAM KELSO. 

